Without you
by GirlfromGermany
Summary: It's hard to live without the one person you really care about, especially when you can't even tell her how you feel. Emily and Paige try their best, but they can't hide their feelings forever. Paily AU. One Shot


**Hello :) This story came to my mind when I listened to two German songs. I was going through a really hard time and writing helped me to feel better. So here we go. I really hope you like it :)**

 **Thanks again siophiefandom for being my beta :) You are amazing!**

 **I would love to read your thoughts. So feel free to give me a review :)**

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Emily was beyond nervous. It was a wonder that she wasn't freaking out (yet). She was inside her room with clothes lying around everywhere. It seemed that nothing she had was right for tonight. She knew she had a lot of clothes, thanks to all the shopping with Hanna, but still, there seemed to be nothing she could actually wear. That's why she had called Hanna. She needed help, not just to find the right outfit, but also to calm her down.

About 15 minutes later, Hanna was sitting on Emily's bed and looking around for the perfect outfit for her best friend. Emily had a date; okay, well, it wasn't a date – she was just going out with Paige. But boy did she wish that it really was a date. She knew she shouldn't think like that. Paige just wanted to spend the evening with her best friend. So, yeah, that was Emily's problem. She was Paige's best friend; her best "just-a-friend." They weren't dating, and Emily had given up dreaming Paige could ever have feelings for her. But that didn't stop her from wanting to find the perfect outfit. Maybe her heart was still hoping that they would get together one day.

She wasn't the only one who thought that they would be perfect for each other. Her friends said the same thing, but, unfortunately, that really didn't change anything. Paige and Emily had known each other for a long time. They became friends really fast. It helped that they were both on the swim team and that they played soccer in their free time. Just another hobby they had in common. And they spent a lot of time together. They both loved dogs, and once Paige got her own dog, they spent even more time together. Together with Bailey, they walked around the park, observed other people or just watched the sunset. A love for music and dancing was another thing they had in common. It helped that they had the same taste in music; there was no need to discuss what they were going to listen to when they were taking a long drive or sitting next to each other on the bus.

They had a lot more things in common. About the only areas where they were different were shopping, which Paige hated, and their taste in movies. Emily loved romantic movies, but, well, Paige frankly hated them. She preferred horror movies, which Emily really couldn't understand. But it was never a problem. They had a deal: they watched both kinds of movies – the horror movie first, of course, and afterwards, the romantic movie.

When Paige came out to her, Emily wasn't really surprised. The way Paige had talked about boys all the time, how much she couldn't stand them and how much easier it would be to just date a girl, yeah, it wasn't really a surprise. Nothing really changed between them, at least not in the beginning. But after Paige came out to everyone, Emily noticed how girls started to flirt with her best friend. It wasn't surprising; Paige would make the perfect girlfriend. She was gorgeous, she was always nice and friendly, she helped wherever she could, she was the star of the swim team, she was funny, she could make everyone laugh, she always found the right words to cheer people up – the list went on and on. Yeah, it shouldn't have surprised Emily. It wasn't that Emily was surprised about the attention that Paige got; she was more surprised at what she noticed about herself when she saw other girls flirt with Paige. At first, she didn't think much about what she was feeling, but the feeling kept getting stronger, and soon she had to admit what it was: jealousy. But why was she jealous? It couldn't be … could it? It was a shock for Emily, when she finally admitted (to herself, at least) that she had feelings for Paige, her best friend. Well, that wasn't supposed to happen. They were friends, and they knew so much about each other. They always told each other everything. Emily had no idea what to do when she realized not only that she was gay, but also that she had feelings for her Paige. And it wasn't just a crush. She had never felt anything like it before. There was no way that she could tell Paige that she was gay, because Paige would ask her how she found out. And she couldn't lie to Paige, because Paige knew her like nobody else. She could sense when Emily was lying. So what could Emily do? She didn't want to risk their friendship, because she just couldn't lose Paige as a friend. But if Paige ever found out, would they remain friends? She was too scared to risk it, so she never told Paige. She hoped that her feelings for Paige would just fade away. She came out to her parents and best friends one month after she admitted it to herself. Thank god, they reacted wonderfully. Nothing really changed, except that her friends kept trying to set her up with girls. She wasn't interested in dating anyone, though. Her feelings for Paige were still there, and Paige was still getting a lot of attention from other girls. Not that Paige liked it. She was this shy girl, especially when someone liked her, and also she knew that most of the girls who flirted with her weren't really interested in a serious relationship. But that was what Paige wanted. She wanted to have a girlfriend, and she was willing to wait for the right one. Yeah, she could be romantic from time to time.

Emily wasn't really complaining about the fact that Paige was still single.

Some time later, Paige told Emily, with tears in her eyes, that she was going out of the country for a year. She had an opportunity to go to Europe, on some kind of exchange program. Of course, Emily was happy for Paige. She knew that it would be a wonderful opportunity, but boy did it hurt. She didn't want to let her go. It was just one year, but it would be a long year without her best friend. They were both crying by the end of the conversation. And they were both crying when they said their good-byes. "Maybe it's for the best," Hanna had told Emily, because, maybe, she would be able to move on from her feelings for Paige. And that's what she tried to do. It took some time, but eventually she started going out on dates. But it never really felt right.

It was three months later, on one of their Skype nights (which they had almost every day), that Paige told Emily about a girl she'd meet. It was like a knife in Emily's chest. She still had feelings for Paige, and although she wanted to be happy for her, it was hard. She smiled and listened to everything Paige told her about Stacy. She was also from the US, and in an exchange program, and her hometown was about a two-hour drive from where Paige and Emily lived. What a coincidence, right? She seemed like a nice girl. They soon started dating, and Paige started telling Emily more and more about Stacy. Emily could see how happy Paige was.

After about four months, Emily also started dating. Her girlfriend, Kate, was really nice. And Emily was happy. At least that's what she thought. She hadn't told Paige about her girlfriend. She had no idea why not, but she just couldn't. She felt bad about it, yeah, but she just never found the right time. At least that's what she told herself. It was a total lie.

Only two weeks before Paige was supposed to come home, Emily got a message in the middle of the night. She was confused about why Paige was asking to Skype in the middle of the night, but she did it anyway. Seeing Paige's beautiful face again; who could say no to that? She was smiling into her camera, but the moment she saw her best friend, her smile faded. Paige was crying, and Emily felt the need to hug her. After Paige calmed down, she told her about Stacy and the breakup. It was a messy one, and it left Paige heartbroken. Apparently, Stacy thought that Paige wasn't enough for her. Emily could only shake her head. She told Paige that, if Stacy was stupid enough to think that, it was her loss. Paige deserved so much better. Emily told her how amazing she is and that anyone would be lucky to have her as a girlfriend. That at least made her smile.

So, over the next two weeks, she was there for Paige as much as she could be. She spent more and more time on her phone, and they Skyped more than before. Emily felt kind of bad, because she still hadn't told Paige about her girlfriend, and, well, Kate noticed that Emily was spending less time with her. One day she came over unexpectedly, wanting to have a conversation with Emily. It wasn't something Emily wanted to do, but Kate was her girlfriend, after all. So, they sat down in Emily's room and Kate started to ask questions. As soon as Emily told her about Paige and how she just needed to be there for her, Kate smiled sadly. As the conversation went on, Emily couldn't believe what Kate was telling her. She told her that their relationship would never work, that she thought that she may have had a chance with her when they had finally gotten together, but she had seen that Emily's heart belonged to someone else. Kate told her that she should have realized sooner that Emily would never love her as much as she loved Paige. So, they broke up, and Kate promised to try to be her friend still. Finally, she said good-bye, leaving Emily confused and shocked – and alone. Sure, the break up hurt, at least a bit; sure she never expected the conversation to end like that – it was a total surprise for her. But the thing that was even more shocking was that Kate had said Emily loved Paige. Was that still the case? She really thought she was over her, but when she thought about it some more, yeah, Kate was right. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She had no idea how to deal with it, but she needed to set aside her "problems" for the moment. She still wanted to be there for Paige.

The day came when Paige returned home, and of course Emily picked her up from the airport. The moment Paige saw her, she had this bright smile on her face, a really beautiful smile, Emily thought. She ran into Emily's arms and hugged her as if her life depended on it. Emily immediately noticed that Paige was still using the same shampoo. She smelled like apples. She smelled like home. And again it hit Emily like a ton of bricks. Just being in her arms, it felt so wonderful, it felt like coming home; she felt safe. With Kate, it had never felt like that. Hanna's words about moving on came back to Emily, and well, it seemed that Hanna had been mistaken. The feelings weren't gone; hell, they were even stronger than before.

They drove back to Paige's house, and her parents invited her to stay for dinner. It seemed that Paige's parents had always loved her. And she got along with them pretty well. She always felt welcome and, yeah, she liked them very much. They would make wonderful in-laws. Oh well those thoughts were all so new to her.

A few weeks later, everything seemed to be back to normal. Paige was feeling better. She was smiling a lot more – always when Emily was around – and Emily was just glad that she was happy again. Of course, they talked about Stacy and the break up from time to time, but Emily noticed that Paige wasn't as heartbroken anymore. Yeah, she told her that she didn't see herself dating anytime soon, but that was understandable. When your heart gets broken, it needs time to heal. Emily just wanted to be there for her best friend. But it wasn't easy. Yeah, it seemed as if everything was back to normal, but it wasn't. Emily had changed, her feelings were stronger than before and harder to ignore. Of course, she tried her best, but sometimes it was especially hard. For example, when they had a movie night together, and Paige suddenly decided that she felt like cuddling. That was definitely something new, but Emily thought Paige just needed comforting – and how could she say no? Say no to a chance to be closer to Paige? At the same time, it felt like using Paige, but on the other hand, Paige was happy. Yeah, the situation wasn't easy, and her friends weren't really helping. Hanna was trying to set her up with another girl, and Spencer told her to "girl the hell up" and tell Paige her feelings. That was not an option; she really didn't want to scare Paige away. She needed her in her life, even if it meant staying just friends.

It was nearly a month later that Emily agreed to a date. Hanna was really happy that Emily had finally said yes. The date had been good, she had enjoyed the evening, and the girl, Susan, was really nice, but it didn't feel right. Susan had taken her home and then kissed her all of a sudden. Emily wasn't expecting it, so her eyes were still open, when she saw her: Paige, standing on the side steps. She looked hurt and on the verge of crying. Emily broke of the kiss immediately and told Susan that she was sorry but that she couldn't do it. She was still looking over towards Paige, who just stood there like a stone. Not moving at all. Susan followed her gaze. "Is this because of her?" she had asked, and Emily just nodded. Susan smiled and left without another word. The moment Emily started walking over to Paige, she could see that Paige still looked really hurt. Of course, she would be hurt. How could she not be? Emily had lied to her, had not told her that she was gay. So Emily could understand that she was hurt.

As soon as she was standing in front of Paige, she gulped. "I am sorry, Paige. I … " she started to say, but Paige didn't let her finish

"You like girls?" Paige had tears in her eyes. Emily just nodded. "Are you …?"

"I am gay, Paige."

Paige just nodded. "How long have you known?"

"For quite a while."

"How long, Emily?"

"Well, since...it was long ago, before you left."

Paige took a deep breath "And you didn't tell me. Why not? And is she your girlfriend?"

Emily had no idea how to answer Paige's questions without giving away her feelings for her. "I...I am sorry...I just...it took me a while to...accept it for myself, and I just I couldn't tell you...and no, she is not my girlfriend. I went on a date with her, Hanna insisted, but … it didn't feel right." She had no idea why she had said the last part, but it felt just right to say it.

Paige nodded again. "I see. So Hanna knows. But you didn't tell me. I thought I was your best friend? I just don't understand why you couldn't tell me. I mean we tell each other everything right? And I mean with me being gay, there is no way I wouldn't have accepted it, no way that I wouldn't have accepted you."

Emily also had tears in her eyes "I know, okay? You are my best friend, but I just couldn't tell you at the time, and I never found the right time to tell you afterwards, and the longer it went on...the more...I just had no idea how you would react if I told you about so long after I realized it."

"Okay, fine don't tell me the reason you couldn't tell me. It is okay. I won't ask you again but it hurts you know? Knowing that you didn't trust me enough to tell me that you are gay. Me, of all people."

Emily had to fight off her tears at that moment. "It has nothing to do with trusting you, okay? I trust you! I trust you with my life. Look, I can't tell you right now why I couldn't tell you. I will someday, okay? When I'm ready and the time is right. And... I am really sorry."

Paige nodded "Okay, yeah. I won't pressure you, Em. I just hope you know that you can tell me anything?" Emily nodded "Okay, good. So … one more question and then I'll leave: All the time I was gone, did you have a girlfriend?"

Emily gulped and nodded "Yes, I did."

"Why aren't you together anymore?" Paige looked at her in a way that made her seem very worried about Emily

"It...just...It didn't work out. We wanted different things. But I'm okay. It was better that way."

Paige just nodded "Okay, yeah. I … Have a good night, Em."

Paige started to walk away, but Emily put her hand on Paige's shoulder

"Wait. I mean you came over here for a reason right? What did you want?" It was the first time that she couldn't read Paige's facial expression.

"I...it wasn't important. Just forget it. We'll see each other in class."

So, yeah, that had been a horrible day.

A few days passed before things got back to normal. Paige seemed to be okay with waiting for Emily's explanation, and Emily managed to avoid the topic of how she found out that she was gay. So yeah, everything was great again, and Emily was really glad. They were back to spending a lot of time together and having sleepovers. They cuddled even more, and Paige seemed to seek out even more physical contact: A hand on Emily's thigh here, a hug there, a kiss on the cheek, or an arm around her waist. Emily wasn't sure whether she was imagining it, but it never seemed like that before. At least not that much. But, well, she could have been wrong. Her feelings could have been playing tricks on her.

So now, one month later, she found herself in her room searching the perfect outfit. She was still trying hard not to panic. "Look Em, you need to calm down. We're talking about Paige here. She'll be happy with whatever you wear. The only thing that matters to her is that you're going out with her tonight."

Emily nodded "I know you're right. I mean, it's not even a date, but … I just want to look good you know?"

Hanna smiled "I know and that's why I'm here, right? And I think I've already found the perfect outfit for you." She stood up and picked up a pair of black skinny jeans "You should wear these jeans and this tank top," she said, picking up a white tank top. "Put it on," she added with a smirk.

A few minutes later, Emily came back from the bathroom "You think this is enough?" she said, biting her lip.

"We're not finished, yet" Hanna answered. She strolled over to Emily and put a knot in the tank top, so that it was cropped. "I think you should wear your sneakers, and, to top off your outfit..." she looked around the room before walking over to Emily's bed "this black leather jacket." When Emily finished getting dressed, she looked in the mirror and had to admit that she looked good. The smile on her face showed that Hanna had picked the perfect outfit.

"So, it seems I found the right look for you, Em?"

Instead of answering Emily just hugged Hanna "Thanks so much, Hanna."

"You're welcome, " Hanna said with a smile, before picking up her purse "So, I'll leave you alone now. Have fun tonight," she said with a wink before walking downstairs.

Emily just rolled her eyes "I know what you're thinking, and I'm not going to do anything! This isn't a date."

"Oh, but maybe it is. Who knows? You know that you really should tell her how you feel. Spencer is right, I mean setting you up on dates didn't work. Paige and you, you guys would be the perfect couple. You would be the new IT couple in school. I can imagine everyone at school: 'Look, there's Paily.' 'Aww, Paily they are just so cute together.'"

"Paily? Really? You already have a name for us?"

Hanna just shrugged her shoulders and chuckled "Well you have to admit – the name is pretty cool." The smile on Emily's face was enough for Hanna. "Hey, but even if this is 'just' going out with your best friend, you should enjoy it. You haven't seen each other much, these past two weeks. So just enjoy it, okay?" Emily nodded, before hugging Hanna goodbye. "See you Monday, Em. And who knows what the evening will bring? Maybe I'll hear from you tomorrow."

Again, Emily rolled her eyes "Yeah, yeah if there's any news, you'll be the first person I tell."

Hanna was beaming "Really?"

Emily chuckled. "You are unbelievable sometimes. Yes, I promise."

"Thanks," Hanna said before leaving.

"So are you ready for your date, honey?" Emily looked to her right and saw her mother standing in the doorway, with a smirk on her face

"What's with you? This isn't a date. Why is everybody saying it is?"

That response just made her mother laugh. "Because we all have eyes, Emily."

Emily raised her eyebrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Pam was still smiling "Nothing. I hope you enjoy your 'non-date'."

Before Emily could say anything else, the doorbell rang. She took a deep breath before opening the door. The moment she saw Paige, it was as if someone took her breath away. She knew that Paige was beautiful; she could wear anything and would still look beautiful. But Emily had never imagined that Paige could look this beautiful. Her outfit was just: wow. Paige was wearing a gray suit: gray trousers, a white shirt, and a gray blazer. She looked absolutely stunning. Pam, still standing next to Emily, cleared her throat, which just made Emily blush. She could only hope that Paige hadn't noticed the way she had checked her out. When she looked back up and saw the Paige's bright smile, "Hey," was the only thing that came out of her mouth

"Hey, yourself," Paige said chuckling "and allow me to say that you look really beautiful today. I mean you are always beautiful, but this outfit is just wow." That made Emily blush even more.

"Thank you. You look...not bad yourself."

"Thanks, Em." She looked over to Pam "Oh, good evening Pam. How are you tonight?"

Pam had always loved Paige. She was just an amazing girl, always friendly, always helping wherever she could…Yeah, Pam had to admit that she wished Paige was Emily's girlfriend and, who knows? - maybe wife in the future. Those thoughts always made her smile.

"Hello Paige. I am really good tonight. I hope you two have a lot of fun tonight."

"Oh, I'm sure we will. With Emily by my side, the evening can only be great."

Pam had no idea how Emily couldn't see it. See the smile Paige had just for her, see the way Paige was looking only at her. But Paige wasn't any better. Those two. But Pam wanted them to figure it out on their own, and she hoped it would happen sooner rather than later. "I bet," she said biting her lip to fight back the smirk "Have fun, you two."

Emily hugged Pam. "Thanks, see you … tomorrow."

Paige and Emily made their way over to Paige's car. When they were both inside, and Paige was driving, Emily looked over to her. "So where are we going?"

Paige chuckled. "Always the curious one, huh? Do you remember what I told you the last time you asked me that question?"

Emily rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself from smiling "That it's a surprise."

"Exactly! And you know what the word surprise means right?"

Emily slapped her playfully. "You are unbelievable sometimes and you're being mean," she pouted. It just made Paige laugh.

"You'll like it, I promise. And you won't have to wait long to see our first destination for tonight."

"Okay, fine," Emily said crossing her arms.

Paige started laughing even more than before "You know you really are cute sometimes."

Emily bit her lip. Normally she hated it when someone called her "cute" but when Paige said it, it made the butterflies come back. Yeah, she really loved her. How could she ever get over her? She had no idea.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at a very familiar restaurant. "We're going to eat here?" Emily beamed. Paige smiled and nodded. Emily couldn't get out of the car fast enough. She didn't even care that she probably looked like a small kid who was about to get ice cream. She loved this place just way too much. It was by far her favorite restaurant and it had been some time since she'd been here. Looking up and reading the sign "Vapiano" made her smile even bigger.

"Well, I am glad that you like it so much."

Emily jumped when she heard Paige's voice so close. She turned around and regretted it immediately. Paige was standing way closer to her than she thought, and she found herself starring into Paige's eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes, which she could get lost in. She closed her eyes for a second and pulled herself out of her thoughts

"Well of course. This is my favorite restaurant," and the perfect places for a date. Of course, she didn't say the last part out loud.

"I know," Paige said grinning "I just thought we could eat before we go to the second and final destination. I mean, you agreed to come with me, even though you have no idea where we're going. And, I mean, I asked you to come with me so that...well that I wouldn't be alone tonight. And so, as a thank you, I thought I could take you here."

Emily just smiled. Yeah, being the best friend sucked.

"You know, you didn't have to bring me here. I mean I love spending time with you. It almost sounds as if...I'm not going to enjoy the rest of what you have planned?"

Paige smiled shyly. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I just...I'm glad that you agreed. We're going to have a great evening. At least I hope so."

Again, Emily slapped her playfully. "Oh, come on. We always have fun together! Now, let's get inside. I'm starving." Paige laughed at that and followed Emily inside. Soon they both were sitting at a table, waiting for their food. "Why am I not surprised that you choose a pepperoni pizza, Em?"

Emily laughed "Hmm, maybe because you know me pretty well and because I always order the same thing."

"Yeah, that's true. You know I am really glad to have you in my life, Em. I don't know what I would do without you." Emily blushed again, yeah, Paige was really good at making her blush.

"I'm really glad too. You are amazing, Paige. Everyone who has you in their life can be happy and proud. You are one of the most amazing people I've ever met." There was Paige's head dip again, oh god, Paige had no idea what she was doing to Emily. And Emily was falling more and more in love with her, which, of course, didn't make her situation any easier.

"Thanks, Em."

A little while later, their food arrived, and they ate in comfortable silence. Once in a while, Emily glanced over at Paige. She couldn't help thinking of the evening as a date. Of course, it wasn't a date; Paige just wanted to go out with her as a best friend. She had no feelings for her. Emily's stupid feelings were just playing games with her, and it was frustrating. But she remembered Hanna's words: She just should have fun and enjoy the evening. And that's what she was going to do. For one evening, she could set aside her feelings and just have fun with her best friend. At least that's what she told herself.

After they ate, Paige insisted on paying for both of them, saying that she wanted to treat Emily. They walked back to the car and drove to the next destination. A few minutes into the drive, Emily spoke again "I know you already said you wanted to treat me today, but you know that you didn't have to right?"

Paige smiled "Of course, Em. Believe me when I say that I really wanted to do it."

Emily really was happy to Paige in her life. Paige could make her happy even with small things. "Thanks, Paige."

She looked over to Paige, who chuckled "Well, you're welcome."

"You're not going to tell me where we're going right?"

Paige started to laugh "No, but I will tell you that I wouldn't have gone without you. I mean I was invited, but I really didn't want to go alone; I really wanted to have you by my side."

"Well, okay...good I guess." Emily said smiling.

Thirty minutes later, they arrived. When they got out of the car, Emily looked around. She definitely hadn't been there before. She could see a lot of people standing outside a building, and she could hear music playing. Turning around to Paige she asked, "Where are we?"

Paige stepped closer to Emily. "This is 'The Lustig,' something like a cross between a bar and a disco. I would actually call it a small disco."

Emily nodded "And someone invited you here? I mean, it seems that there are a lot of people here."

"Yeah, Lucy invited me. She is here with a small group of people, celebrating her birthday."

Emily's eyes went wide "I don't even have a present for her." That made her best friend laugh

"Oh, Em. Don't worry about that." Paige started to walk over to the entrance, leaving a confused Emily behind. When she noticed that Emily wasn't with her, she turned around and chuckled "Don't just stand there, come on." They both made their way inside. Emily was still confused but before she could ask any questions, she found herself in Lucy's arms.

"Emily, you're here! I am so glad that you came."

"Well, yeah. I'm glad to be here, too. Happy birthday, Lucy. I just..." she looked over to Paige, who was just smiling "don't have a present for you. Paige didn't really tell me where we were going."

Lucy started to laugh and slapped Paige lightly "Look what you've done! Now she feels uncomfortable."

"Well, I told her that she didn't need to worry about a birthday present."

Lucy looked back over to Emily "She's right. I told her it would be a wonderful present if you came."

Emily looked at her, surprised. "Oh...wow...thank you." She was blushing again.

"Gosh, she really is cute, you weren't lying, Paige." Lucy and Paige both chuckled. "Thanks for bringing her here. I know that you're not really a fan of parties and a lot of people. And I know you probably wouldn't have come without her today. So I'm glad you're both here."

It was Paige who hugged Lucy after that. "Happy birthday, Lucy."

"So I guess I have to wait a little longer for your birthday present?"

Paige smirked before answering "You're about to get your first present right now." She handed Lucy an envelope and Lucy opened it immediately. Emily could see the tears in Lucy's eyes the moment she got it open.

"You...you got me two tickets for the musical 'The Lion King'?" Paige just smiled. Lucy hugged her immediately "Thank you so much, Paige." Emily, observing them, could see how happy Lucy was. Paige really was a wonderful friend. "And you … you have another present for me? You know that this here is enough. This is the best present I ever got."

Paige's bright smile was something Emily got never tired of. She loved to see Paige happy.

"Yes, I do. But it will be a surprise, and I know you'll love it, too, " she said with a wink.

Lucy, still beaming, nodded "Okay, good. I think I can wait a little bit longer." She hugged Paige again, before turning to Emily "And now have fun," she said with a wink before leaving.

Paige and Emily made their way over to the bar and ordered a cocktail. Paige, of course, ordered a non-alcoholic drink. The music was pretty loud, so Emily had to step closer to Paige and whisper-yell in hear ear. "What was all that about? I mean not that I'm complaining, but … I mean … does she like me that much?"

It was Paige's turn to speak into Emily's ear. "She just missed you. You know, even though you two don't see each other often and you may not be friends, hmm, she loves you. She's always happy when I bring you with me. And she really wanted to see you again."

Emily nodded, not sure what to say. "Paige, what is the surprise you have for her?"

"I'm not going to tell you. It's a surprise."

Emily pouted "Come on. I won't tell her."

But Paige just shook her head "Nope, sorry, Em, but I'm not telling you anything."

Emily rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine, don't tell me then."

Paige kissed her on the cheek, something Emily didn't see coming, but of course she wasn't complaining. "You'll find out soon enough, okay?" Emily nodded and smiled.

They were still sitting at the bar an hour later. Emily was just enjoying the evening, and she was really having a great time up to that point. The music had gotten louder, and she was surprised that she recognized most of the songs. It seemed that they were only playing older songs, but she wasn't complaining. The songs were really good, and she couldn't stop bobbing her head in time with the beat. At some point, she had closed her eyes and started singing along with the songs. When she opened her eyes again, she saw a smiling Paige. Before she could ask why she was smiling, Paige leaned over to her. "Do you want to dance?"

Emily couldn't hold back her bright smile. "Yes, that sounds really good." Emily had already finished her second cocktail, and it was probably a good idea to dance for a while and stop drinking. Paige offered Emily her hand, and they made their way over to the dance floor. A lot of people were already dancing, so there wasn't much space. But they found a spot where they could dance. Emily leaned over to Paige "Are they only playing old songs today?"

Paige nodded "Yes, the theme today is the '90s. It seems that you like the music so far," she said with a wink. Damn, Emily was blushing again. But it was true: Whenever there was music playing, she couldn't stop herself from dancing. Music just really had an effect on her. She was really happy about the theme. She loved the '90s. The songs of that era reminded her of her childhood – and also was the music just really good.

Soon, they were both dancing, fooling around and just enjoying their time together. The music soon took Emily over. It felt as if they were alone on the dance floor, and she was loving the evening more and more. And she could see that Paige was having a great time, too. That big smile she had on her face, damn, it was beautiful.

A little while later Paige asked Emily whether she wanted something to drink. "Oh, yeah a Coke, please."

"Okay, I'll be back in a bit." Emily watched Paige walk away. Yeah, that suit really fit. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Emily shook her head. It was probably best for her to stop drinking alcohol. Getting tipsy – or worse, drunk – was a bad idea. It was too risky. She knew herself, and she knew that she would start talk about all those things she didn't normally talk about, like her feelings and thoughts. So yeah, better not drink any more alcohol.

Just a few minutes later, Paige came back with two Cokes in her hand. She handed Emily one and took a sip of the other one. "Are you enjoying the evening so far?"

"Yes, it is perfect! I really love it, Paige. I'm having a wonderful time."

The smile on Paige's face got even brighter. "Well, that's really good. I'm having a lot of fun, too. And the evening is just getting started." Emily didn't quite know what to think about the last sentence. It sounded as if Paige knew something that Emily didn't. But she didn't want to ask. They got back to dancing, carefully of course, because neither of them wanted to spill her Coke.

While they were dancing, Emily started to observe Paige some more. She looked so relaxed and happy. It had been a while since she has seen her so happy. It was wonderful to see Paige so happy, and it made Emily happy, too. But a little bit later, Paige suddenly stopped dancing and her smile faded. Emily couldn't really make out Paige's look. She looked angry, perhaps, or was it shocked? Emily was worried. "Paige, what's wrong?"

Instead of answering Paige just shook her head. "This can't be happening."

Emily raised her eyebrow. "Paige, what are you talking about?"

"She can't be here. This isn't possible." Paige wasn't looking at Emily; she seemed to be looking at someone behind Emily.

"Who can't be here?" Emily wanted to turn around, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Don't. She hasn't seen us yet."

"Who?" Emily asked, curious and worried.

"Stacy."

Emily's eyes went wide. "You mean Stacy, as in your ex-girlfriend?" Paige just nodded.

Emily had no idea why, but she felt that she needed to comfort Paige, so she put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it "Are you okay?"

Paige just gulped "Can you come outside with me for a while? It...I...it's too loud in here to talk."

"Sure, Paige. Whatever you want."

They both walked outside, and the first thing Paige did was take a deep breath. Emily had no idea what to do or say "I...Don't take this the wrong way...and I hope it's okay to ask: I thought you were getting better and that you were over her? But it seems that seeing her still hurts a lot?"

Paige shook her head "No, it is not like that. I … I'm just surprised. Look, she contacted me a while ago, and, well I just ignored her message. But a few days later, she texted me again. Told me how sorry she was, that she never wanted to hurt me and things like that... Then, she asked me whether we could meet and talk...I asked what she wanted to talk about and well...she told me that she knows now she made a big mistake and that she … well, she asked for a second chance." Paige took a deep breath.

Emily, at her side, tried hard not to show her emotions "Oh," was the only thing she got out. She gulped before trying again "So, you two are getting back together now?"

Paige started to laugh – actually started to laugh – which was really confusing for Emily. After Paige calmed down, she was still smiling. "Hell no. I am not getting back together with her. Never! I don't have feelings for her anymore and she really hurt me, Em. I promise you that I'm okay. It was just a shock to see her today. No, when she asked for a second chance I told her that I had moved on." Damn, Emily was happy to hear that.

"So let's see...you told her that you are in a relationship again?"

Paige chuckled. "Yeah, I mean, I know it was a lie, but..."

"Oh, no you don't need to explain. I understand. I think I would have done the same thing."

Suddenly Paige hugged her "Thanks, Em."

"For what? I didn't do anything," she said raising her eyebrow. Paige had this smile on her face again, a smile that seemed to be just for her.

"You are always there for me and you always find a way to make me laugh, on purpose or not," she said with a wink.

Emily shook her head, smiling "Okay, well you're welcome. So do you want to go back inside?"

Paige just nodded and led Emily back inside. Soon they were dancing again and Paige was goofing around, which just made Emily laugh. She knew that Paige could dance, but seeing her pretending to dance poorly was hilarious. They danced like that for a while, before Emily noticed Paige rolling her eyes.

"What's going on?"

"She saw me, and now she's coming over to us."

"Okay, good. Just play along." Before Paige had the chance to ask what she meant, Emily had already closed the distance between them and kissed her. Sure, that wasn't probably Emily's best idea, kissing the girl you love, who is also your best friend. But that's what friends are for, right? Playing the fake girlfriend for your best friend, when needed. Of course, it may also have been selfish. She had wondered for a long time how it would feel to kiss Paige. And damn, it felt so good. The moment she kissed Paige, Emily noticed that she had taken her by surprise, because Paige didn't react immediately. But then, after what felt like forever, Paige had started to kiss her back. And it felt so, so amazing. Sure, Paige was only kissing her because she understood what Emily had in mind: They were pretending, to get rid of Stacy. It was a one-time thing. They would just kiss this one time and laugh it off later on. Emily knew that, and she knew that it was probably a big mistake to kiss Paige. Now she knew how it felt to kiss Paige. Even though it was a fake kiss, it felt amazing. So much better than she ever imagined. Emily just wanted to enjoy the kiss for as long as she could. Was she being selfish? Was she taking advantage of Paige? She didn't want to think about any of that. All she knew was that she wanted to put everything into this. Show Paige that she didn't need anyone else. Show Paige how perfect they would be – perfect. So, she put everything into the kiss. All her emotions and feelings. She couldn't stop her hand from moving. Soon, she felt herself pulling Paige even closer to her, with her hands behind Paige's neck. And Paige didn't seem to mind.

Emily was lost in the kiss and had no idea how long they had been kissing when Paige pulled away, taking a deep breath. When Emily opened her eyes, she saw a wide-eyed Paige in front of her. Oh god, had she messed up everything? But wait, was Paige smiling? "Well you sure know how to take a girl by surprise, Em," she said chuckling. So, at least it seemed that she hadn't messed up between them. She had no idea what to say, but she knew she needed to say something.

"Yeah...I...did it work?" She had no idea what Paige's expression in response to her question was telling her. Paige seemed to be deep in thought. She shook her head lightly, but it was clear that this wasn't meant as an answer. It was more like Paige trying to push something into the back of her mind.

Finally, Paige looked over her shoulder "She's gone. So, great...work. Seems as if she believed it." Emily nodded shyly. At least she didn't need to think about Stacy anymore. Sure, Paige had told her that she would never get back with her, but it still felt good to know that Stacy thought that they were in a relationship.

"Thanks, Em. I mean...this kiss...yeah...just thanks for getting rid of her. She really seemed to believe it. So yeah thanks."

Emily had no idea why Paige was rambling, but it definitely was cute. She smiled "Well you're welcome. That's what friends are there for right?" The next thing out of her mouth was a nervous chuckle. It wasn't a lie, but of course Emily wished that the kiss had been more than just a fake kiss.

Paige nodded "Yeah, sure." It wasn't quite clear what Paige was thinking about in that moment, but before Emily could ask what was going on, Paige continued, "Hey, how about we sit down for a while and order something to drink? I think I need a break from dancing." Damn, there it was again: That beautiful smile. It also made Emily smile. She nodded, and soon they both were sitting at the bar again, both drinking a non-alcoholic cocktail.

"You're still enjoying the night, right?" Emily asked biting her lip.

"Why shouldn't I?" Paige asked confused.

"Well...I mean...with Stacy being here and … yeah." She didn't want to mention the kiss.

Paige was smiling again "Of course, I'm still enjoying the night. Did it shock me to see her again? Yes. Did it make me feel uncomfortable somehow? Yes. But first of all, thanks to you, I don't have to worry about her coming over," she said with a wink "and second of all: You are here with me. So of course, I am enjoying this night. I wouldn't want to spend this day with anybody else. Spending time with you is always something wonderful. So, you don't need to worry. Thanks to you, I'm having an amazing time, Em." It made her blush, and she had a bright smile on her face. Paige really knew how to make her happy.

"Okay, good. Thanks, that's good to know. I'm enjoying it, too. Just so you know, you are great company." It made Paige laugh, and soon Emily joined her. For the next half an hour, they just talked about everything. They both noticed that Stacy had left a few minutes earlier. And Emily was relieved that she was gone.

Paige looked at her watch "I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to the restroom. Don't run off," she said with a wink before leaving. Emily shook her head smiling. She was really having an amazing night so far; the best she'd had in a really long time. She couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. The kiss was just amazing. Paige was a really good kisser, that was for sure. Emily put her finger over her lip. She still could taste Paige. How often she had dreamed about kissing Paige. But those dreams couldn't compare with the reality of that kiss. It was so much better. Sadly, it was just a fake kiss. How would it be to kiss her for real, because they both wanted to kiss each other? Yeah, that would remain just a dream, but somehow her heart still hoped that Paige could have feelings for her one day. How amazing it would be to introduce Paige as her girlfriend. Paige, her girlfriend. It just sounded amazing.

"Hey, why are you smiling like that?" Emily was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't notice Paige coming back. So she got startled and nearly fell backwards off the chair, but thankfully Paige caught her. "Wow, sorry, Em. I didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay?"

Emily blushed. "Yeah, I'm okay. Don't worry about it. I just...I was deep in thought and didn't notice you coming back. Thanks for catching me by the way," she said with a chuckle.

"Well, you're welcome. What were you thinking about? It must have been something good, judging from that big smile you had on your face."

Emily started blushing even more "I was just...I was thinking about this night. I haven't had such a great time in forever. So thanks Paige."

That made Paige smile. The really bright smile that Emily loved so much "I'm really glad you're enjoying it so far. And the night's not over, yet. Who knows? Maybe it'll get even better, " she said with a wink.

Emily raised her eyebrow "What do you mean?"

Instead of answering Paige offered her hand "Come on. I want to get a good seat, before it starts."

Emily took Paige's hands gladly. "Before what starts?" Paige just smiled and started to walk. Emily followed without asking anything else. A minute later, they were standing in front of a small stage, which Emily hadn't really noticed before. She looked over to Paige, raising her eyebrow again. It made Paige laugh.

"To answer your question, in a few minutes, they'll start the karaoke. They have it here every month. And I thought we could stand in the front row and watch it. I really love to watch those people. They enjoy themselves so much, and it is just so amazing to see how happy they are. Of course some people...well they really can't sing, but I'm not here to judge. It's not as if I'm a singer. Anyway, I just thought you would enjoy it as much as I do, since I know you love music."

Emily nodded. "Well, it sounds really good. I'm sure I'll like it."

"Okay, good. Do you want something to drink before it starts?"

"No, I'm fine thanks."

A few minutes later, the music stopped, and a man came to the stage. "Hello everyone. My name is Steve. For anyone new here, I'll explain what is going on: We have karaoke night once a month. Some people already put down their names and the song they want to sing. So for the next hour we'll have a lot of people up here singing onstage. You don't have to be shy. Everyone can sing here. So if you want to sing, just came over here and see Angela." – He pointed at Angela, and she raised her hand to the crowd – "and tell her your name and what song you would like to sing. Our house band knows all the songs – we hope. And if there are any special songs, we always have the internet to make that possible. We'll start in 15 minutes. In the meantime, you can give Angela your name, and I hope to see you here onstage soon!" He walked off, and the band started to get ready.

Emily was excited. This was something different for her. She hadn't really seen karaoke before. She, herself, would never go up onstage, but she had respect for anybody who did. It wasn't that she was too shy. Okay maybe that was one reason, but it wasn't her thing to get up on a stage and sing.

A little while later, it started. The first person on the stage was a guy. He looked about the same age as Emily and Paige. He seemed really nervous, but as soon as the song started, he seemed to enjoy being up onstage. The song he had chosen was "Rock DJ" by Robbie Williams. He didn't have the most beautiful voice, but it was obvious how much fun he was having. And the crowd was dancing and singing along. Up next was a woman was maybe around 30 years old. She sang the song "Girls just wanna have fun" by Cyndi Lauper. Emily caught herself singing along, and when she looked over to her left, she could see that Paige was moving her head to the beat, not quite singing, but moving her lips. Just watching Paige was enough to make her smile. She could see how much fun Paige was having, and it warmed her heart. The next three people onstage all sang songs that Emily knew: "Genie in a bottle" by Christina Aguilera , "Take on me" by a-ha and "Son of man" by Phil Collins. The next woman, who looked about the same age as Emily's mother, had a really beautiful voice. That's what Emily noticed first. The people around must have thought the same thing, because they started to cheer loudly. The song was "It's too late" by Carole King. A couple came up next. Emily thought they would sing a love song for sure, but she was wrong. And she wasn't the only one taken by surprise; when they started to sing "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, the crowd went silent for a few seconds. But after a few seconds, some people started to sing along and went wild. Emily knew that Paige liked AC/DC so it was no wonder that, when she looked over at her, Paige was dancing and singing along. God, how beautiful Paige was like that. Okay, she was always beautiful in Emily's eyes, but when she was like that: relaxed, happy, having fun and dancing, singing it was something else. It was even more beautiful.

After the couple finished singing and the people applauded, they left the stage. Steve came back onstage, as he always did after each of the acts. "Well, that was amazing wasn't it?" The people went wild. "So, the next person on this stage is Paige McCullers." Emily's eyes went wide "Come on up, Paige" he said smiling. Emily was shocked, first of all, that Paige was going to sing, and second, that Steve seemed to know Paige, because he was looking directly at her when he said her name.

Emily looked over at Paige, who was smiling. "Enjoy," she said with a wink, before walking over to the stairs and up to the stage. Emily was shocked and excited at the same time. Paige, her Paige (okay well sadly not her Paige, but still) – Paige was going to sing. Emily wondered when Paige had time to put her name down, until it hit her: She had left to go to the restroom. Oh, Paige was clever. But why hadn't she told Emily that she was going to sing?

Before Emily could consider it further, Steve spoke up again "So, guys I'm sure you'll love this one. Enjoy," he left the stage. Had Emily imagined it, or had he really looked directly at her when he said his sentence? No, that would be ridiculous. She was sure she just had imagined it.

Emily was still amazed. Paige was standing there onstage with a microphone in her hand, and she was going to sing. She seemed to be even more beautiful standing there on the stage. Emily couldn't take her eyes of her and she hadn't even started.

"Hey, guys. Before I start..." she looked around, searching for someone "Lucy? Where are you? Can you come here onstage please?" Emily raised her eyebrow. She was curious about what Paige could have planned. A few seconds later, Lucy was standing next to Paige. "So guys, this girl here," she said pointing to Lucy "has a birthday today. So how about we sing for her before I start my song?" She had a bright smile on her face. The band started playing, and soon they were all singing "Happy birthday to you". Emily saw the bright smile on Paige's face and the way Lucy blushed. After the song was over, it was Paige's turn to speak again "Thank you so much." She turned to Lucy "Lucy, even though the song that I'm going to sing is not dedicated to you, I'm sure you'll love it. So this is my surprise birthday gift for you." Emily raised her eyebrow, she wasn't sure what all of this was about. She saw that Paige handed Lucy her mobile phone, before whispering something in her ear. Whatever Paige had said to Lucy, it must have been something good, because Lucy had a huge grin on her face when Paige stepped back. Emily saw Lucy nodding and walking over to her. She jumped from the stage and stood next to Emily "I hope you don't mind if I stand here. I don't want to miss this show," Lucy said still smiling.

"No, that's fine." She wanted to ask what Paige had told her, but before she could, she heard Paige's voice again. "So, this song means a lot to me. I really hope you like it." Emily was observing Paige, who seemed really nervous. She saw her take a deep breath. "I am really nervous and I hope I don't mess up. The song is dedicated to a special someone. The song I am singing today is actually a German song. It is called "Ohne dich," by Münchener Freiheit. I translated it into English, so that you all can understand what the song is about and, most important, that the special someone understands what I am singing about." Paige was smiling and Emily herself was curious. She still had no idea what was going on. She was also surprised that Paige spoke German; that was something new for her. Paige turned to Steve and nodded. A few seconds later Emily could hear music coming from the jukebox.

Paige closed her eyes and took a deep breath before starting to sing.

I will not change myself,  
to impress you,  
will not discuss problems all night,  
but one thing I admit –

Paige opened her eyes and looked over to Emily.

That, what I want is you!

It took Emily's breath away. Could it really mean what she thought? She had no idea what to think anymore. She was overwhelmed and had to hold back her tears. But Paige couldn't mean her with that song could she? Emily wasn't sure, but she wanted to keep listening to Paige's beautiful voice. So she focused back on Paige and could see her smile.

I will make no guarantees  
that I cannot keep,  
want to experience something with you,  
better right now than some other time,  
and I admit openly -  
That, what I want is you!

Emily could hear that Paige was singing with her emotions. That she meant every word. And Paige had such a beautiful voice, Emily felt herself falling more and more in love with her. Paige took a step closer to her and smiled.

Without you, I won't sleep tonight  
Without you, I won't go home tonight  
Without you, I won't be able to rest today,  
That, what I want is you!

Without you, I won't sleep tonight  
Without you, I won't go home tonight  
Without you, I won't be able to rest today  
That, what I want is you!

Emily had started crying. She just couldn't stop the tears. This was the most wonderful thing anybody had ever done for her. And she knew now that the song was dedicated to her. She could feel it, see it in Paige's eyes and it made her weak in the knees.

I will not tell everything,  
Don't want to explain too much,  
Don't want to spoil the moment  
with too many words,  
but one thing I admit to -  
That, what I want is you!

I won't tell stories,  
that don't interest you anyway,  
want to experience something with you,  
which fascinates us,  
and I admit openly -  
That, what I want is you!

Emily was still overwhelmed; her heart was beating like crazy and she was so happy. She had never expected anything like that. How could she? And seeing Paige onstage, singing, completely in her element, made her even happier. She was so in love with Paige. Paige stepped even closer, standing at the edge of the stage, looking down at Emily. She was still smiling and Emily could see that Paige also had tears in her eyes.

Without you, I won't sleep tonight  
Without you, I won't go home tonight  
Without you, I won't be able to rest today,  
That, what I want is you!

Without you, I won't sleep tonight  
Without you, I won't go home tonight  
Without you, I won't be able to rest today,  
That, what I want is you!

Emily couldn't get enough of Paige's voice. She had such a beautiful voice. Emily wondered how it would sound if Paige were singing in German. It was as if Paige could read her mind. The music was still playing and Paige spoke up. "So let me finish this song in German. You already know what the chorus means." She winked at Emily and started to sing again.

Ohne dich schlaf' ich heut' Nacht nicht ein  
Ohne dich fahr' ich heut' Nacht nicht heim  
Ohne dich komm' ich heut' nicht zur Ruh  
Das was ich will bist du

Ohne dich schlaf' ich heut' Nacht nicht ein  
Ohne dich fahr' ich heut' Nacht nicht heim  
Ohne dich komm' ich heut' nicht zur Ruh  
Das was ich will bist du

The music came to an end, and Emily looked over to Lucy. Surprised, she noticed that Lucy was filming her. She also noticed the bright smile on Lucy's face. So that was what Paige had told Lucy. She shook her head and smiled. Well that for sure would be a great memory. The music ended and she looked back over to Paige, who seemed to be nervous again. She gave her a bright smile, which seemed to be all Paige needed. She also started to smile. Everything was silent for a moment, before people started to cheer and clap loudly. They were going wild and Paige smiled even more. "Thank you guys." She handed the microphone to Steve.

"Wasn't that wonderful?" he said and the people went wild again "What an amazing song. So full of emotion. Your special someone must be really special and also really lucky. I don't think many people ever got a gift this wonderful. You have a really a beautiful voice Paige."

She blushed and dipped her head "Thank you."

"Okay, now go over to her. I think she's waiting for you," he said with a wink, looking over to Emily. Without another word, Paige stepped to the edge of the stage and jumped down. Standing in front of Emily, she opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Emily kissed her. It took Paige by surprise, but once she knew what was happening, she started to kiss back. She pulled her even closer and nothing else mattered anymore. Emily felt Paige's hands in her hair and she couldn't believe what a lucky girl she was. Finally, she was kissing Paige. Finally, a real kiss, and damn - it was the best kiss she'd ever had. She felt her knees go weak again. When they broke the kiss, to take a breath, they noticed that the people around them were clapping. Emily looked over to Lucy, who was still filming, and she blushed. She should have waited a little while longer. It wasn't her intention to give everyone around them a show, but she couldn't help it. Emily needed to kiss her and she couldn't have waited a second longer. "Well it seems she liked the song," Steve said chuckling "Okay, guys. How about we go on? Leave these two lovebirds alone?"

Emily noticed that the people focused their attention back onstage, and she turned to Paige. "That was amazing, Paige. You have such a beautiful voice. And you sang that song for me. I … " Emily started to cry again, still too overwhelmed. She felt Paige wipe away her tears.

"Hey, Em. Don't cry. I didn't mean to make you cry."

Emily shook her head "No, it's okay. I am just so incredibly happy right now. You have no idea how happy I am. I have no words for it. Nobody ever did anything like that for me. I am indeed a lucky girl."

Paige smiled before taking Emily's hand "Come on. Let us go somewhere else. Where we can talk."

Emily followed Paige outside. "I am so happy that you liked it, Em."

Emily shook her head "Liked it? Are you kidding me? I LOVED it. So, so much. Thank you Paige." She stepped closer to Paige and kissed her lightly. Paige dipped her head and blushed.

"Well, okay good. I was really nervous. I had this planned for quite a while now. I wasn't sure if you...if you would feel the same way. I always hoped that you might have feelings for me, all the time. But I never thought I could ever be that lucky. These past few weeks made me hope. And today when you kissed me, that's when I knew. The way you kissed me...I was sure that you felt the way I do. But I was still nervous."

Emily smiled and chuckled. "I understand. I can't imagine getting on a stage and singing. But damn you did so well and you can speak and sing in German. Why didn't I know that?"

Paige just smiled "Well, I never thought you'd be interested. And I'm kind of shy when it comes to speaking or singing in German. It's not that easy."

"I think it sounded really good." Paige blushed again.

"Paige can you answer me one question?" Emily asked shyly. Paige just nodded "How long? How long have you had feelings for me?"

"You really want to know?" Emily nodded. "You were the girl who made me realize that I am gay. So yeah, a really long time."

Emily's eyes went wide "Really?" Paige nodded and looked down. "That's… wow. I never expected something like that. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Paige was still looking down. "I was afraid to lose you. You are my best friend, and well I thought you were straight."

Emily put her finger under Paige's chin and made her look up. "It's okay. I understand you completely. Seems we were both too shy and kind of stupid, huh? We could have had our kiss years ago."

"Wait what does this mean? How long …? "

"I realized shortly after you came out that I have feelings for you. When I saw how other girls flirted with you...I...I was jealous. I was so shocked and I couldn't tell you about it. At least I thought not, because I didn't want to lose you. It was some time before I came out to my parents and friends."

"So you didn't tell me because you were afraid I might find out that you had feelings for me? That I would ask you questions about how you realized you are gay?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah. And you know me so well...I...couldn't have lied to you. Not that I ever want to lie to you...I..."

Paige interrupted her with a kiss "It's okay, Em."

"I have one more question and I'm kind of scared to ask..."

"You can ask me anything, Em."

"When you told me about...Stacy...that you two were together...you seemed to be so happy and you seemed so happy when you were with her...and when she broke up with you...you were so down...I just...seeing you like that, I never thought that you could have feelings for someone else."

Paige nodded "I understand. One reason I went away was that my feelings for you had become too strong. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, didn't want to do something that I would regret later on. So I ran away. I met her there. And she was great, I liked her, and, well, I told myself that it would work. We got together and I had feelings for her. I told myself I loved her. I maybe did kind of, but I never had feelings for her as strong as I have for you. In the end, it wouldn't have worked. I was devastated when we broke up, because I did have feelings for her and because...it just...it hit me that my feelings for you are so strong...that I didn't think I could ever find someone like you."

Emily had tears in her eyes again. She had no idea what to say, so she just kissed Paige, trying to put all her emotions and feelings into the kiss. When she leaned back, she could see the bright smile on Paige's face. "I understand what you are saying Paige. I tried the same thing, you know. I told myself that, if I dated someone, my feelings for you would pass. Well, it didn't work in the end. And now I am really glad it didn't."

They were both smiling. Emily didn't even notice that Paige had taken her hand again until Paige squeezed it and she looked down at them. The feeling was so strong. She had never felt like that before. She knew Paige was the right one for her, and she didn't want anyone else by her side. It was a dream coming true, and she still couldn't believe it.

"What are you thinking about?" Paige asked, bringing Emily out of her thoughts.

Emily looked up and gave Paige another kiss. "I'm thinking about you, how perfect you are. How lucky I am to have you in my life. I don't want anybody else at my side. You Paige, you are amazing. My dream is finally coming true. And it is even more amazing than I imagined. I love you, Paige. I love you so much."

Paige wiped away her own tears. "I love you, too. I love you more than I ever imagined loving somebody. You are the most amazing person I have ever met in my life, and I call myself lucky to call you my girlfriend."

Emily smiled "Girlfriend?"

Paige's eyes went wide, but before she could say anything, Emily continued "That sounds amazing! I can see it: 'This is Paige, my girlfriend.' I am one lucky girl, aren't I?"

It made Paige chuckle. "You are a dork, Em. I love you so much." she squeezed her hand. "This feeling, being here with you... It feels like coming home. I am finally back home." She leaned over to Emily and they kissed again. They were in their own world and happy like never before. It was just the beginning of a wonderful adventure.


End file.
